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ademption

American  
[uh-demp-shuhn] / əˈdɛmp ʃən /

noun

Law.

  1. the failure of a legacy because the subject matter no longer belongs to the testator's estate at death.

ademption British  
/ əˈdɛmpʃən /

noun

  1. property law the failure of a specific legacy, as by a testator disposing of the subject matter in his lifetime

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ademption

1580–90; < Latin ademptiōn- (stem of ademptiō ) a taking away, equivalent to adempt ( us ) ( ad- ad- + em ( p )-, stem of emere to take + -tus past participle suffix) + -ion- -ion

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Of the ademption and transference of legacies XXII.

From The Institutes of Justinian by Moyle, John Baron

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.